Evaporative cooling device and control system

ABSTRACT

An evaporative cooling device may be provided. The device may comprise a plurality of rollers, a screen looped around the plurality of rollers, a motor coupled to at least one roller and configured to drive the at least one roller, a basin configured to hold a liquid within an interior of the basin, and wherein at least one roller is at least partially within the interior of the basin. The screen may travel into the basin and capture an amount of the liquid. As the liquid is drawn into an airstream feeding a heat rejection device, the liquid may evaporate, cooling the air. The cooled air may provide a more efficient heat rejection device.

RELATED APPLICATION

This patent application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/874,701, filed on Oct. 5, 2015, entitled “EVAPORATIVE COOLING DEVICEAND CONTROL SYSTEM”, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, byreference.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure generally relates to evaporative cooling of aheat exchanger.

BACKGROUND

FIGS. P1 a and P1 b illustrate a schematic view of a typicalHeat-Rejection Device (HRD) (e.g., a residential/commercial airconditioner outdoor unit). Such a unit typically consists of arefrigerant compressor, a surrounding condenser coil, and an internalcondenser fan. FIG. P2 is a schematic view of the same typical HRD, withadditional layers depicting its internal condenser fan, as well as theapproximate airflow pattern that it produces. The fan draws in airthrough its 4 side condenser surfaces and discharges it vertically(along +y axis). As the air is drawn through the condenser surfaces(“coils” and “fins”), heat within the condenser is transferred to theair and is subsequently rejected to atmosphere as the hot air exits thetop. Some HRDs use water cooling to increase efficiency.

The benefits of water cooling have been known and exploited for manyyears. The key to water's power in cooling comes from its phase changefrom a liquid to a vapor, wherein it absorbs a great amount of “heat ofvaporization.” This type of heat is referred to as “latent” heat. Watercooling is sometimes avoided because it usually involves the addition oflarge industrial infrastructure, but new manufacturers and technologiesare working to improve the economics for water-cooling smaller systems.In general, this evaporative cooling effect can apply to essentially anyliquid (not just water), when it evaporates into another gaseous medium(including but not limited to air).

In many climatic regions, the water-cooling may reduce condensertemperatures (and thus pressures) more efficiently than air cooling.This reduces the discharge pressure (or “head”) of the compressor, andconsequently the load (or “lift”) of the compressor, allowing the systemto deliver the same cooling power with less input power. Suchcompressors are typically driven by an electric motor; the motor istypically an “induction” motor, running on alternating current (AC). Theelectrical power consumed by the motor increases with increasing load onthe compressor it is driving. This electrical power (P) is proportionalto motor's electrical supply voltage (V), its resulting electricalcurrent draw (I), and its resulting power factor (PF):

P˜V*I*PF.

When compressor load is reduced, P is reduced through reductions in bothcurrent (I) and power factor (PF): a common behavior of AC motors whicharises according to the laws of electrodynamics. However, commonmnemonics are often used to visualize this electrical behavior throughthe behavior of water: voltage (V) is analogous to the pressure drivinga water stream; and current (I) is analogous to the flow rate of thewater stream. Unfortunately, fewer analogies exist to help describepower factor (PF). In short, power factor relates the phase relationshipbetween the AC voltage and current waveforms: when the two waveforms areperfectly in phase (or in “synch”), their power factor is 1; when thetwo waves are perfectly out of phase (completely not in synch), theirpower factor is 0. As an AC motor approaches full load, its power factorapproaches 1 (say ˜80% to 90%); as its load decreases, so does its powerfactor (˜75% or less).

Conventionally, common evaporative cooling systems comprise waternozzles that spray water mist onto the surface of the HRD (assumed to bea condenser hereafter). This spraying configuration is often difficultto adjust geometrically, as the mist is most effective when applied in ahomogeneous pattern that perfectly contacts all of the surfaces of thecondenser. Multiple spray nozzles are often implemented to mitigate thischallenge; as a result, some sections of the condenser surface may be“over sprayed,” receiving more water than necessary which hence formsdroplets that deflect or fall down the surface as waste. Moreover, spraynozzles are susceptible to clogs and fouling from water deposits, whichhinder their effectiveness; the clogs distort the spray pattern'sgeometry as well as its intended flow rate.

BRIEF OVERVIEW

An evaporative cooling device may be provided. This brief overview isprovided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form thatare further described below in the Detailed Description. This briefoverview is not intended to identify key features or essential featuresof the claimed subject matter. Nor is this brief overview intended to beused to limit the claimed subject matter's scope.

The device may comprise a plurality of rollers, a screen looped aroundthe plurality of rollers, a motor coupled to at least one roller andconfigured to drive the at least one roller, a basin configured to holda liquid within an interior of the basin, and wherein at least oneroller is at least partially within the interior of the basin. Thescreen may travel into the basin and capture an amount of the liquid. Asthe liquid is drawn into an airstream feeding a heat rejection device,the liquid may evaporate, cooling the air. The cooled air may provide amore efficient heat rejection device.

Both the foregoing brief overview and the following detailed descriptionprovide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoingbrief overview and the following detailed description should not beconsidered to be restrictive. Further, features or variations may beprovided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, embodimentsmay be directed to various feature combinations and sub-combinationsdescribed in the detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of this disclosure, illustrate various embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The drawings contain representations of various trademarksand copyrights owned by the Applicants. In addition, the drawings maycontain other marks owned by third parties and are being used forillustrative purposes only. All rights to various trademarks andcopyrights represented herein, except those belonging to theirrespective owners, are vested in and the property of the Applicant. TheApplicant retains and reserves all rights in its trademarks andcopyrights included herein, and grants permission to reproduce thematerial only in connection with reproduction of the granted patent andfor no other purpose.

Furthermore, the drawings may contain text or captions that may explaincertain embodiments of the present disclosure. This text is included forillustrative, non-limiting, explanatory purposes of certain embodimentsdetailed in the present disclosure. In the drawings:

FIGS. P1 a and P1 b illustrate different schematic views of a typicalHeat-Rejection Device HRD;

FIG. P2 is a schematic view of the same typical HRD, with additionallayers depicting its internal condenser fan, as well as the approximateairflow pattern that it produces;

FIG. 1a illustrates an embodiment of the proposed Evaporative CoolingDevice (ECD);

FIG. 1b illustrates another view of the ECD;

FIG. 1c illustrates yet another view of the ECD;

FIG. 2 illustrates a conveyor motion between rotating rollers and ascreen;

FIG. 3 illustrates a set of ECDs attached to a heat rejection device;

FIG. 4 illustrates a single ECD attached to a heat rejection device;

FIG. 5a illustrates an ECD comprising control sensors;

FIG. 5b further illustrates the ECD comprising control sensors;

FIG. 6 illustrates further control components;

FIG. 7 illustrates main control components;

FIG. 8 illustrates a method for controlling the system;

FIG. 9 illustrates a condensate recovery system; and

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system including a computing device forperforming the method of FIG. 8.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one havingordinary skill in the relevant art that the present disclosure has broadutility and application. As should be understood, any embodiment mayincorporate only one or a plurality of the above-disclosed aspects ofthe disclosure and may further incorporate only one or a plurality ofthe above-disclosed features. Furthermore, any embodiment discussed andidentified as being “preferred” is considered to be part of a best modecontemplated for carrying out the embodiments of the present disclosure.Other embodiments also may be discussed for additional illustrativepurposes in providing a full and enabling disclosure. Moreover, manyembodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, andequivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodimentsdescribed herein and fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

Accordingly, while embodiments are described herein in detail inrelation to one or more embodiments, it is to be understood that thisdisclosure is illustrative and exemplary of the present disclosure, andare made merely for the purposes of providing a full and enablingdisclosure. The detailed disclosure herein of one or more embodiments isnot intended, nor is to be construed, to limit the scope of patentprotection afforded in any claim of a patent issuing here from, whichscope is to be defined by the claims and the equivalents thereof. It isnot intended that the scope of patent protection be defined by readinginto any claim a limitation found herein that does not explicitly appearin the claim itself.

Thus, for example, any sequence(s) and/or temporal order of steps ofvarious processes or methods that are described herein are illustrativeand not restrictive. Accordingly, it should be understood that, althoughsteps of various processes or methods may be shown and described asbeing in a sequence or temporal order, the steps of any such processesor methods are not limited to being carried out in any particularsequence or order, absent an indication otherwise. Indeed, the steps insuch processes or methods generally may be carried out in variousdifferent sequences and orders while still falling within the scope ofthe present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope ofpatent protection is to be defined by the issued claim(s) rather thanthe description set forth herein.

Additionally, it is important to note that each term used herein refersto that which an ordinary artisan would understand such term to meanbased on the contextual use of such term herein. To the extent that themeaning of a term used herein—as understood by the ordinary artisanbased on the contextual use of such term—differs in any way from anyparticular dictionary definition of such term, it is intended that themeaning of the term as understood by the ordinary artisan shouldprevail.

Regarding applicability of 35 U.S.C. § 112, (f)/6^(th) paragraph, noclaim element is intended to be read in accordance with this statutoryprovision unless the explicit phrase “means for” or “step for” isactually used in such claim element, whereupon this statutory provisionis intended to apply in the interpretation of such claim element.

Furthermore, it is important to note that, as used herein, “a” and “an”each generally denotes “at least one,” but does not exclude a pluralityunless the contextual use dictates otherwise. When used herein to join alist of items, “or” denotes “at least one of the items,” but does notexclude a plurality of items of the list. Finally, when used herein tojoin a list of items, “and” denotes “all of the items of the list.”

The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings.Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawingsand the following description to refer to the same or similar elements.While many embodiments of the disclosure may be described,modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible. Forexample, substitutions, additions, or modifications may be made to theelements illustrated in the drawings, and the methods described hereinmay be modified by substituting, reordering, or adding stages to thedisclosed methods. Accordingly, the following detailed description doesnot limit the disclosure. Instead, the proper scope of the disclosure isdefined by the appended claims. The present disclosure contains headers.It should be understood that these headers are used as references andare not to be construed as limiting upon the subjected matter disclosedunder the header.

The present disclosure includes many aspects and features. Moreover,while many aspects and features relate to, and are described in, certaincontexts, embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to useonly in this context.

I. Overview

Consistent with embodiments of the present disclosure, an evaporativecooling device (ECD) may be provided. This overview is provided tointroduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are furtherdescribed below. This overview is not intended to identify key featuresor essential features of the claimed subject matter. Nor is thisoverview intended to be used to limit the claimed subject matter'sscope. The ECD may be used by individuals or companies to evaporativelycool air to be passed across a heat rejection device.

The ECD may utilize water's latent heat of vaporization to cool airbefore it passes a heat exchanger of the heat-rejection device. Byrunning a screen or mesh material through a basin of water, the ECD mayuse water's surface tension to draw water from the basin. The water thatis drawn from the basin may form a sheet of water through which air maypass before passing across a reaching the heat-rejection device.Accordingly, heat from the air may be absorbed by evaporation of thewater. In this way, the ECD may provide more effective heat exchangingat the heat-rejection device.

The screen may be looped around rollers and driven by an electric motor.The motor's speed may vary in order to provide the optimal amount ofwater for evaporating. The motor's speed may be controlled by acontroller. Further, the ECD may comprise sensors configured to measureproperties of the air after it has passed through the sheet of water. Bymeasuring the air's properties, the ECD may be tuned to optimizeperformance.

Further embodiments of the ECD may utilize components for measuringwater level in the basin and controls for keeping an operable waterlevel. Yet further embodiments may comprise a condensation reclamationdevice for using condensate from the conditioner's evaporator as thewater used by the ECD.

Both the foregoing overview and the following detailed descriptionprovide examples and are explanatory only. Accordingly, the foregoingoverview and the following detailed description should not be consideredto be restrictive. Further, features or variations may be provided inaddition to those set forth herein. For example, embodiments may bedirected to various feature combinations and sub-combinations describedin the detailed description.

II. Basic Configuration

The evaporative cooling device (ECD) may provide a method ofadministering evaporative cooling liquid. In some embodiments, theevaporative cooling liquid may comprise, but not be limited to, water.Accordingly, although water is used throughout the present disclosure,it should be understood that other liquids may be used.

FIGS. 1a, 1b, and 1c illustrate an embodiment of an ECD consistent withembodiments of the present disclosure, comprising, but not limited to: aframe 105; a plurality of rollers 110; a screen medium 115 (hereafter,“screen” or “screen material”) fashioned in a loop; a basin 120configured to hold water; a motor (e.g., a variable-speed, low-voltagemotor) 125 attached to the top “drive” roller; and a gasket material 130to seal the perimeter of the ECD to the condenser face.

While materials are disclosed herein, it should be understood that theyare to be exemplary, rather than limiting. The frame may comprise woodand/or plastic. The rollers may comprise plastic. The screen maycomprise plastic, and may be fashioned in a loop in order tocontinuously travel along the rollers (e.g., as shown with a flattenedcylinder shape).

The ECD may be configured such that as the rollers 110 rotate, thescreen 115 may travel into the water basin 120, collect water, and thentravel upward. The ECD may be placed upstream of the HRD's inletairflow. In this way, the inlet airflow may traverse the ECD's wettedscreen material. As the air flows through the wetted screen, the watermay evaporate and cool the airstream entering the HRD.

III. Basic Operation

As the motor rotates a primary drive roller, the screen medium 115 maybe conveyed downward into the water basin, and then back upward acrossthe airstream as it traverses the bottom roller. As the screen materialsubmerges into the water basin, water “sticks” to the grid sectionswithin the screen and forms droplets among the lattice structure of thescreen. This “sticking” occurs according to water's inherent molecularproperties and forces—such as surface tension, adhesion, and cohesion.As this wetted grid is conveyed upward into the airstream, therectangular “sheet” of water produced readily evaporates. FIG. 2diagrammatically depicts this “conveyor” motion between the rotatingrollers and “revolving” screen. Additional rollers may be added asneeded to provide support for different configurations and geometries:including (but not limited) rollers placed on the exterior of the screenloop to provide bi-directional stabilization of the moving screen.

IV. Mounting Configurations

FIG. 3 depicts a potential ECD mounting configuration, wherein 4separate ECD panels may be affixed to the 4 inlet faces of the condenser305. In further embodiments, a single ECD panel may serve more than onecondenser face. FIG. 4 (diagrammatic) shows a mounting configuration,wherein single ECD panel may serve all 4 condenser faces through anaccessorized adapter shroud 405. In such embodiment, the shroud maychannel all of the airflow through a single ECD surface. The details ofthis configuration may depend the requirements of airflow rates anddynamics, ECD surface area & capacity, geometry of available space, etc.

V. Controls Components and Sequences

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise one or moresensors. Further embodiments may comprise one or more controllers. Theone or more controllers may be further described as computing device1000 herein. As will be detailed with reference to FIG. 10 below, thecomputing device configured to control the ECD may comprise, but not belimited to, for example, an integrated controller, controller for abuilding automation system, a desktop computer, laptop, a tablet, ormobile telecommunications device. Though the present disclosure iswritten with reference to an integrated controller, it should beunderstood that any computing device may be employed to provide thevarious embodiments disclosed herein. In further embodiments, a user maybe able to manually control the ECD, for example to manually optimizeparameters, such as, for example, motor speed. In such embodiments, theuser may access the computing device via a software application.

FIGS. 5a and 5b are layouts showing some of the ECD's primary controlsensors 505. Temperature sensors may be placed within the “loop” of thescreen, situated in the x-y plane. One purpose of these temperaturesensors may be to detect the “wetbulb” temperature of theevaporatively-cooled airstream. The sensors may be placed at knownlocations along the x-y plane of the ECD panel (rows and columns). Insome embodiments control algorithms may use their respective signals totrack the cooling effect at various locations in the plane. For example,some control algorithms may seek to achieve sufficient cooling at thetop row of the plane (farthest from the water basin), while notdelivering excessive water. The temperature gradient along the verticaly-axis may indicate the relative evaporation rate of water at differentheights. If more cooling capacity is needed at the top rung, the motor'sspeed may increase to deliver water at a faster rate. If the top row isjust as cool as rows below it, it may indicate that water is beingconveyed at an excessive rate, and the control loop may reduce themotor's speed accordingly. Various combinations of standard evaporativecooling control logic, including Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID)algorithms may be adapted to the ECD's unique characteristics.

Further embodiments may comprise a psychrometric sensor 510. An outdoorpsychrometric sensor array is shown in the top-right corner of FIG. 5a .This sensor may provide data to the ECD controller about the ambientconditions of the surrounding atmosphere. Using inputs such as drybulbtemperature, humidity, pressure, and altitude, the psychrometric sensormay allow the controller to determine how much evaporative cooling isachievable given the current ambient conditions.

As the ambient air's relative humidity rises, evaporative coolingcapacity may be diminished because the ambient air cannot accept as muchwater vapor; i.e., the air is approaching “saturation.” When the outdoorair reaches 100% relative humidity, no evaporative cooling is possible;the air's drybulb and wetbulb temperature are equal. As relativehumidity falls below 100%, evaporative cooling capacity increases, andthe air's wetbulb temperature progressively falls below the drybulbtemperature. When ambient air is at very low humidity, evaporativecooling capacity is greatest (with wetbulb temperature much lower thandrybulb). These psychrometric principles may be fundamental to allevaporative cooling control logic.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise additionalcontrol components. FIG. 6 provides further detail on some additionalcontrol components for an ECD consistent with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. FIG. 7 provides detail on some additional main controlcomponents for an ECD consistent with embodiments of the presentdisclosure. The psychrometric and temperature sensors may be analog(continuously-variable) inputs to the controller. A float switch 605 inthe water basin may provide a binary (discrete/on-off) signal to thecontroller to confirm sufficient water level 610 in the basin. Adiscrete “run” contact may provide a binary input to signal thecontroller that the condenser/HRD is active and thus evaporative coolingmay be enabled. The controller may have a binary output to command asolenoid valve 705 to fill the water basin as its level falls below thefloat switch's threshold. Additionally, the controller may have acontinuously-variable output to the command the speed of the drivemotor. In some embodiments, this motor speed signal may be analog (e.g.,0-10 VDC, 4-20 mA), or digitally pulse-width-modulated (PWM). The ECD'scooling capacity may be precisely controlled by modulating a singlevariable: the speed of the drive motor. A water supply may plumbed tothe system (e.g., from a domestic water supply). Further embodiments maycomprise other mechanical components, such as, for example waterfilters, water softeners, check valves, etc.

Basic Boolean logic may provide “permissives” and interlocks toenable/disable the system. PID loop logic may manage the modulation ofmotor speed (cooling capacity) according to temperature andpsychrometric inputs. Additional alarm logic may be incorporated toprevent operation during abnormal or unsafe conditions. Some embodimentsof the present disclosure may comprise audible alarms.

FIG. 8 conveys a potential control logic flow 800 for the ECDcontroller. Although method 800 has been described to be performed bycomputing device 1000, it should be understood that, in someembodiments, different operations may be performed by differentnetworked elements in operative communication with computing device1000.

Although the stages illustrated by the flow charts are disclosed in aparticular order, it should be understood that the order is disclosedfor illustrative purposes only. Stages may be combined, separated,reordered, and various intermediary stages may exist. Accordingly, itshould be understood that the various stages illustrated within the flowchart may be, in various embodiments, performed in arrangements thatdiffer from the ones illustrated. Moreover, various stages may be addedor removed from the flow charts without altering or deterring from thefundamental scope of the depicted methods and systems disclosed herein.Ways to implement the stages of method 800 will be described in greaterdetail below.

Method 800 may begin at stage 805, where the computing device 1000 maycheck to see if a heat rejection device is running. For example, thecomputing device 1000 may check the on/off status of a fan driving theheat rejection device.

From stage 805, method 800 may proceed to stage 810, where the computingdevice 1000 may check to see if any alarms are active. For example,various checks may be performed to determine whether or not the ECD mayrun effectively and safely, including, but not limited to, adequatewater in the basin, too much water in the basin, adequate power coupledto one of the components (e.g., the motor, the controller, a solenoidvalve, and a sensor), operating temperature of the components, andwhether or not a fuse has been blown. If any alarms are active, an alarmmay be annunciated in stage 815. For example, an audible alarm may beactivated, or a building automation system may receive a notification.As long as the alarm conditions are not cleared, the computing device1000 may continue to annunciate the alarm as well as prevent the ECDfrom starting. The computing device 1000 may routinely check to seewhether or not the alarm has been cleared in stage 820.

If no alarms are active, the computing device 1000 may check to for arelative humidity threshold in stage 825. For example, if the relativehumidity is above a certain amount (e.g., 90%), computing device 1000may prevent the ECD from activating. If the relative humidity is belowthe threshold, the ECD may activate in stage 830. For example, thecomputing device 1000 may cause a supply water solenoid valve to open tofill the basin to an operational level. Further, the computing device1000 may cause the motor to start moving. In some embodiments, the motormay be started at a minimum speed.

Once the computing device 1000 activates the ECD in stage 830, method800 may proceed to stage 835, where computing device may 1000 takesensor readings. For example, sensors near the top of the device may beused to calculate an initial optimal motor speed. Method 800 may thenproceed to stage 840, where the computing device 1000 may utilize a PIDloop to modulate the motor speed by continually monitoring sensoroutputs.

Concurrent with stage 840, the computing device 1000 may check to seefor active alarms in stage 845. For example, if the water reaches aminimum level, the computing device 1000 may deactivate the ECD in stage850 (e.g., close the water supply valve and stop the motor). Then method800 may proceed to stage 815.

Alternatively, if no alarms are active, the ECD may continue to operatein an activated mode as long as the heat rejection device is running.

VI. Materials of Construction

The ECDs' materials of construction may address the harsh conditions ofthe outdoor environment, as well as the details of the HEDs they areattached to. Durable, outdoor-rated, UV-resistant plastic may be usedfor the frame and rollers. Stainless steel or plastic bearings may beused for the rollers' internal mounting shafts. The drive motor may beenclosed and rated for outdoor, wet use; considerations may be given forthe motor's proper ventilation and internal cooling, as well as anyelectrical safety considerations: including (but not limited to)ground-fault isolation, and safe operating voltages.

The screen material may be made of outdoor-rated plastic mesh, with highresilience and flexibility to facilitate its motion around the rollers.The material may have sufficient elasticity to facilitate proper tensionwith the rollers. The screen may also be constructed to have a highreflectivity of solar energy to minimize heat gain and UV damage. Thismay be achieved by the application of a reflective coating. In furtherembodiments, the high reflectivity may be incorporated into thecomposition of the screen material itself.

The controller may be constructed under typical best practices used forindustrial PLCs. Accordingly, considerations may be given for:

-   -   outdoor and indoor mounting options    -   NEMA ratings    -   NEC requirements    -   UL and CE requirements    -   Expansion capabilities (networking, integrating multiple        controllers on large systems, etc.)

The ECD's systems, particularly the outdoor components, may haveintegrated measures to mitigate:

-   -   Electrostatic discharge (dissipative materials and/or grounding)    -   Lightning & Transient Voltage surges    -   Corrosion issues (including those associated with dissimilar        metals among ECD and HED components)    -   Environmental hazards (hazardous weather, seismic events, etc.)

VII. Enhancements

In further embodiments, the ECD may be further enhanced with additionalaccessories. One such example is depicted in FIG. 9. A CondensateRecovery System 900 may be integrated into the air conditioner'sevaporator condensate drip tray. Evaporator condensate that wouldnormally go to drain may be collected and used as cooling water. Thismay offset or eliminate the use of an external/domestic water supply. Anopportune application of this may be on packaged rooftop units (RTUs).Because of their remote roof location, RTUs may not havereadily-accessible water piping, so condensate recovery may provide apractical water source.

VIII. Novel Advantages of ECD and its Methods

This method provides numerous advantages over others typically used toadminister evaporative cooling water. Common methods consist of waternozzles that spray water mist onto the surface of the HRD (assumed to bea condenser hereafter). This spraying configuration can be difficult toadjust geometrically, as the mist is most effective when applied in ahomogeneous pattern that perfectly contacts all of the surfaces of thecondenser. Multiple spray nozzles are often implemented to mitigate thischallenge; as a result, some sections of the condenser surface may be“over sprayed,” receiving more water than necessary which hence formsdroplets that deflect or fall down the surface as waste. Moreover, spraynozzles are susceptible to clogs and fouling from water deposits whichhinder their effectiveness; the clogs distort the spray pattern'sgeometry as well as its intended flow rate. Contrarily, with the ECD, ifany excess water is conveyed and does not evaporate across thecondenser, it will be primarily returned to the water basin on its next“trip”. Or, it may still evaporate on its trip down to the waterbasin—providing secondary or pre-cooling. Also, geometrically, the ECDmay provide a homogenous, controllable “sheet” of water for evaporation,thus enabling high-precision control of the amount of water delivered.The rate at which water is delivered by embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be precisely controlled by a single variable: the speedof the motor driving the assembly. The ECD is advantageous under windyconditions as well; even a moderate breeze may disrupt the propagationof a sprayed mist. The ECD's screen delivery approach is lesssusceptible to such wind.

Another advantage of embodiments of the present disclosure includes anability to mitigate water deposit fouling of the condenser surface thatmay result of direct spray of domestic water—which often containsvarying levels of deposits such as lime, calcium, and iron. In the ECD,as the water evaporates from the screen material, it tends to leave thedeposits behind as they tend to “stick” to the screen material. Uponsubstantial buildup of deposits, the screen material may be removed forcleaning or replaced as needed.

Supplementary advantages may result from the application of aradiant-reflective coating on the screen material—a coating similar topopular “cool roof” treatments. The reflective coating may help shieldthe condenser from ambient sunlight, reducing solar heat gain at thesurface of the condenser (which is often a dark-colored metal that tendsto absorb solar heat). Additionally, even if the ECD's water conveyingsystem fails, the presence of its screen material may provide aprotective “filtering” effect for the air entering the condenser,protecting it from the common problems of dust, pollen, flowering plantmaterial, and hail.

IX. Computing Device Architecture

In various embodiments, the ECD may comprise various integrated sensors,controllers, and computing components in operative communication with acentralized server, such as, for example, a cloud computing service orbuilding automation system. In further embodiments, one or morecontrollers and computing components may be incorporated within astand-alone ECD. Such computing elements may be embodied as, forexample, but not limited to, computing device 1000.

Embodiments of the present disclosure may comprise a system having amemory storage and a processing unit. The processing unit may be coupledto the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is configured toperform the ECD controls.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a system including computing device 1000.Consistent with an embodiment of the disclosure, the aforementionedmemory storage and processing unit may be implemented in a computingdevice, such as computing device 1000 of FIG. 10. Any suitablecombination of hardware, software, or firmware may be used to implementthe memory storage and processing unit. For example, the memory storageand processing unit may be implemented with computing device 1000 or anyof other computing devices 1018, in combination with computing device1000. The aforementioned system, device, and processors are examples andother systems, devices, and processors may comprise the aforementionedmemory storage and processing unit, consistent with embodiments of thedisclosure.

With reference to FIG. 10, a system consistent with an embodiment of thedisclosure may include a computing device, such as computing device1000. In a basic configuration, computing device 1000 may include atleast one processing unit 1002 and a system memory 1004. Depending onthe configuration and type of computing device, system memory 1004 maycomprise, but is not limited to, volatile (e.g. random access memory(RAM)), nonvolatile (e.g. read-only memory (ROM)), flash memory, or anycombination. System memory 1004 may include operating system 1005, oneor more programming modules 1006, and may include a program data 1007.Operating system 1005, for example, may be suitable for controllingcomputing device 1000's operation. In one embodiment, programmingmodules 1006 may include motor speed calculation application 1020.Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced inconjunction with a graphics library, other operating systems, or anyother application program and is not limited to any particularapplication or system. This basic configuration is illustrated in FIG.10 by those components within a dashed line 1008.

Computing device 1000 may have additional features or functionality. Forexample, computing device 1000 may also include additional data storagedevices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magneticdisks, optical disks, or tape. Such additional storage is illustrated inFIG. 10 by a removable storage 1009 and a non-removable storage 1010.Computer storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removableand non-removable media implemented in any method or technology forstorage of information, such as computer readable instructions, datastructures, program modules, or other data. System memory 1004,removable storage 1009, and non-removable storage 1010 are all computerstorage media examples (i.e., memory storage.) Computer storage mediamay include, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, electrically erasableread-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical storage, magneticcassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium which can be used to storeinformation and which can be accessed by computing device 1000. Any suchcomputer storage media may be part of device 1000. Computing device 1000may also have input device(s) 1012 such as a keyboard, a mouse, a pen, asound input device, a touch input device, etc. Output device(s) 1014such as a display, speakers, a printer, etc. may also be included. Theaforementioned devices are examples and others may be used.

Computing device 1000 may also contain a communication connection 1016that may allow device 1000 to communicate with other computing devices1018, such as over a network in a distributed computing environment, forexample, an intranet or the Internet. Communication connection 1016 isone example of communication media. Communication media may typically beembodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, programmodules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrierwave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information deliverymedia. The term “modulated data signal” may describe a signal that hasone or more characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encodeinformation in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media may include wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, radiofrequency (RF), infrared, and other wireless media. The term computerreadable media as used herein may include both storage media andcommunication media.

As stated above, a number of program modules and data files may bestored in system memory 1004, including operating system 1005. Whileexecuting on processing unit 1002, programming modules 1006 (e.g., motorspeed calculation application 1020) may perform processes including, forexample, ECD motor speed control as described above. The aforementionedprocess is an example, and processing unit 1002 may perform otherprocesses. Other programming modules that may be used in accordance withembodiments of the present disclosure may include electronic mail andcontacts applications, word processing applications, spreadsheetapplications, database applications, slide presentation applications,drawing or computer-aided application programs, etc.

Generally, consistent with embodiments of the disclosure, programmodules may include routines, programs, components, data structures, andother types of structures that may perform particular tasks or that mayimplement particular abstract data types. Moreover, embodiments of thedisclosure may be practiced with other computer system configurations,including hand-held devices, multiprocessor systems,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics,minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. Embodiments of thedisclosure may also be practiced in distributed computing environmentswhere tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linkedthrough a communications network. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotememory storage devices.

Furthermore, embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced in anelectrical circuit comprising discrete electronic elements, packaged orintegrated electronic chips containing logic gates, a circuit utilizinga microprocessor, or on a single chip containing electronic elements ormicroprocessors. Embodiments of the disclosure may also be practicedusing other technologies capable of performing logical operations suchas, for example, AND, OR, and NOT, including but not limited tomechanical, optical, fluidic, and quantum technologies. In addition,embodiments of the disclosure may be practiced within a general purposecomputer or in any other circuits or systems.

Embodiments of the disclosure, for example, may be implemented as acomputer process (method), a computing system, or as an article ofmanufacture, such as a computer program product or computer readablemedia. The computer program product may be a computer storage mediareadable by a computer system and encoding a computer program ofinstructions for executing a computer process. The computer programproduct may also be a propagated signal on a carrier readable by acomputing system and encoding a computer program of instructions forexecuting a computer process. Accordingly, the present disclosure may beembodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, residentsoftware, micro-code, etc.). In other words, embodiments of the presentdisclosure may take the form of a computer program product on acomputer-usable or computer-readable storage medium havingcomputer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the mediumfor use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. Acomputer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that cancontain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for useby or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, ordevice.

The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example butnot limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic,infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagationmedium. More specific computer-readable medium examples (anon-exhaustive list), the computer-readable medium may include thefollowing: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portablecomputer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory(ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flashmemory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory(CD-ROM). Note that the computer-usable or computer-readable mediumcould even be paper or another suitable medium upon which the program isprinted, as the program can be electronically captured, via, forinstance, optical scanning of the paper or other medium, then compiled,interpreted, or otherwise processed in a suitable manner, if necessary,and then stored in a computer memory.

Embodiments of the present disclosure, for example, are described abovewith reference to block diagrams and/or operational illustrations ofmethods, systems, and computer program products according to embodimentsof the disclosure. The functions/acts noted in the blocks may occur outof the order as shown in any flowchart. For example, two blocks shown insuccession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or theblocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending uponthe functionality/acts involved.

While certain embodiments of the disclosure have been described, otherembodiments may exist. Furthermore, although embodiments of the presentdisclosure have been described as being associated with data stored inmemory and other storage mediums, data can also be stored on or readfrom other types of computer-readable media, such as secondary storagedevices, like hard disks, solid state storage (e.g., USB drive), or aCD-ROM, a carrier wave from the Internet, or other forms of RAM or ROM.Further, the disclosed methods' stages may be modified in any manner,including by reordering stages and/or inserting or deleting stages,without departing from the disclosure.

All rights including copyrights in the code included herein are vestedin and the property of the Applicant. The Applicant retains and reservesall rights in the code included herein, and grants permission toreproduce the material only in connection with reproduction of thegranted patent and for no other purpose.

X. Claims

While the specification includes examples, the disclosure's scope isindicated by the following claims. Furthermore, while the specificationhas been described in language specific to structural features and/ormethodological acts, the claims are not limited to the features or actsdescribed above. Rather, the specific features and acts described aboveare disclosed as example for embodiments of the disclosure.

Insofar as the description above and the accompanying drawing discloseany additional subject matter that is not within the scope of the claimsbelow, the disclosures are not dedicated to the public and the right tofile one or more applications to claims such additional disclosures isreserved.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus configured to draw an evaporative liquid into an air flow feeding into a refrigerant condenser coil, the apparatus comprising: at least two rollers; a screen looped around the at least two rollers; a basin configured to hold the evaporative liquid within an interior of the basin, wherein a portion of the screen is within the interior of the basin and is submerged within the evaporative liquid; and a motor coupled to one of the at least two rollers, wherein the motor is configured to drive the at least one roller and the screen such that the portion of the screen that is submerged within the evaporative liquid is drawn away from the basin and is exposed to air flow entering the refrigerant condenser coil, wherein a plane of a surface of the screen exposed to the air flow is approximately perpendicular to the air flow and approximately parallel to the refrigerant condenser coil such that the condenser coil receives the evaporative liquid as it evaporates from the surface of the screen.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gasket configured to seal the apparatus to an intake of the refrigerant condenser coil.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least two sensors, wherein a first sensor is positioned externally so as to capture at least one metric of an environmental condition outside of the apparatus, wherein a second sensor is positioned internally so as to capture at least one metric of an environmental condition inside of the apparatus; and a controller in operative communication with the at least two sensors and the motor, wherein the controller is configured to: receive at least one reading from each of the at least two sensors, analyze the at least one reading from each of the at least two sensors in order to determine an effectiveness of evaporative cooling of the refrigerant condenser coil, wherein the analysis is comprised of a comparison of a first reading from the first sensor relative to a second reading from the second sensor, and variably control the motor's speed during motor operation based on the analysis of the at least one reading from the at least two sensors.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least two sensors further comprise an interior wetbulb sensor and an exterior psychrometric sensor.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to variably adjust the motor's operation speed based on readings of at least two measurements from: the interior wetbulb temperature and the exterior air psychrometric sensor.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a water level measuring device positioned within the interior of the basin; and a valve coupled to a water source and configured to: open when the water level measuring device senses a low limit, and close when the water level measuring device senses a high limit.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the basin is configured to receive an air conditioner's evaporator condensate.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller configured to control at least one of the following: a first valve for regulating the flow of evaporate condensate into the basin; and a second valve for regulating the flow of the water source into the basin.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the screen is reflective of solar heat.
 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to control the at least one of the first valve and the second valve upon a determination that there is insufficient evaporate condensate to source the basin.
 11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a control system associated with the motor is enabled upon receipt of a signal indicating that the refrigerant condenser coil is running, wherein the control system is configured to operate the motor so as to control an operation and a speed of the at least one roller.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein wetbulb sensors are positioned relative to different portions of the screen so as to detect the liquid evaporating from each relative position.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the speed of the motor is adjusted based on readings from the wetbulb sensors so as to increase or decrease a mass flow rate of the evaporative cooling liquid from each relative position.
 14. A refrigerant condenser system, comprising: a fan for generating airflow; a condenser coil positioned to reject heat to outside air; and an evaporative cooling device (ECD) comprising: at least two rollers, a screen looped around the at least two rollers, wherein the screen is substantially perpendicular to the airflow and substantially parallel and adjacent to the condenser coil, a basin configured to hold an evaporative liquid within an interior of the basin, wherein a portion of the screen is submerged within the evaporative liquid, and a motor coupled to at least one roller of the at least two rollers and configured to drive the at least one roller, wherein the motor is configured operate the at least one roller such that the portion of the screen that is submerged within the evaporative liquid is drawn away from the basin and is exposed to air flow entering the refrigerant condenser coil.
 15. The system of claim 14, further comprising: at least two sensors, wherein a first sensor is positioned externally so as to capture at least one metric of an environmental condition outside of the apparatus, wherein a second sensor is positioned internally so as to capture at least one metric of an environmental condition inside of the apparatus; and a controller in operative communication with the at least two sensors and the motor, wherein the controller is configured to: receive at least one reading from each of the at least two sensors, analyze the at least one reading from each of the at least two sensors in order to determine an effectiveness of evaporative cooling of the refrigerant condenser coil, wherein the analysis is comprised of a comparison of a first reading from the first sensor relative to a second reading from the second sensor, and variably control the motor's speed during motor operation based on the analysis of the at least one reading from the at least two sensors.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein additional ECDs are positioned around on a plurality of inlet surfaces of the refrigerant condenser system.
 17. An apparatus configured to draw liquid into an air flow feeding into a refrigerant condenser coil, the apparatus comprising: at least two rollers; a screen looped around the at least two rollers; a basin configured to hold an evaporative liquid within an interior of the basin, wherein a portion of the screen is within the interior of the basin and is submerged within the evaporative liquid; and a motor coupled to one of the at least two rollers, wherein the motor is configured to drive, upon receiving a signal that the condenser coil is operative, the at least one roller and the screen such that the portion of the screen that is submerged within the evaporative liquid is drawn away from the basin and is exposed to air flow entering the refrigerant condenser coil, wherein a plane of a surface of the screen exposed to the air flow is approximately perpendicular to the air flow and approximately parallel to the refrigerant condenser coil such that the condenser coil receives the evaporative liquid as it evaporates from the surface of the screen. 